After a busy end-of-the-year holiday season, Valentine’s Day might not seem like a huge holiday. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth! Many people purchase gifts for their loved ones during this holiday, with the average shopper spending $175 on Valentine’s Day gifts.
This holiday is an excellent way for retailers in many industries to drive revenue, but what are some of the best ways to increase your store’s Valentine’s Day sales this year? The key is all in how you market and sell your products and services.
Keep reading for the top Valentine’s Day marketing ideas.
Personalized Services
Instead of focusing on discounts and sales, offer customized services to increase sales for this holiday. Shoppers are looking for a gift that is convenient and quick. Personalized services can pique interest and increase the average purchase value.
Prepare your teams with sales tips to help them discover their customers’ needs and treat them to personalized service. Asking open-ended questions and actively listening will go a long way in increasing sales.
Offer Gift-Wrapping Services
If you’ve got the space to set up a station for it, consider offering limited-time or specialty gift-wrapping services. For an added fee, you’ll gift-wrap the items with themed paper. Some customers will be inclined to purchase this service, especially those last-minute Valentine’s Day gift shoppers.
(While a fee is standard, you can also make it complimentary with a purchase!)
It’s relatively simple to train employees on this and implement it without much overhead. Ensure that everyone trained on the gift-wrapping service is capable of a clean, attractive wrapping job.
You can even advertise your gift-wrapping service as a part of your Valentine’s Day marketing campaign to ensure your shoppers know all about it.
Promote Pet Items
Believe it or not, the day of love is not only about people! Americans spent over $886 million on Valentine’s Day gifts for their pets. Many people want to show love to their pets on this day and would consider a pet-appropriate gift if there was one on offer.
If you sell any pet-related products, put them front and center on a themed display. Even if the item is not perfectly themed, incorporating it in your Valentine’s Day display will help shoppers view the items as a gift option. Some examples of pet items to display include:
- Bowls
- Collars
- Leashes/ harnesses
- Animal clothes
- Pet-care items (shampoo, nail clippers, etc.,)
- Treats
- Food
- Pet toys
Valentine-ify Your Store Displays
Play into the upcoming holiday with your retail store decor. Decorating your retail displays is a simple way to encourage holiday sales. It puts shoppers in the mindset of the upcoming holiday, reminding them to pick up some gifts for their loved ones.
Turn your typical retail displays into a Valentine’s Day explosion that will attract shoppers and drive sales. Decorating includes the specific items you display as well as any additional pieces. For example, if candles are part of the display, choose ones that fit the Valentine’s theme in terms of color and scent.
Some Valentine’s Day marketing ideas include:
- Emphasizing red, pink, and white products.
- Adding hearts and cupid decor.
- Use red/Valentine’s Day garland.
- Place holiday-specific wrapping paper behind items.
- Find creative ways to display candy as part of your Valentine’s Day marketing – it is one of the season’s most popular gifts, after all.
Another important note is to place Valentine’s displays near the front of the store. You want to make it as convenient as possible for shoppers to find the relevant items. It will make their shopping experience much more straightforward and encourage them to pick up the perfect Valentine’s Day gifts right away.
Ready-Made Valentine’s Day Gifts
Make it quick and easy for your customers to pick up gifts with unique holiday bundles. You can create gift baskets or bundles for every major gift recipient archetype. For example, design one for women, men, pets, kids, friends, etc.
Combine a few items that would make for an appropriate gift and price it as one. While you can opt for a promotional “bundle” price, a considerable discount is unnecessary. Simply combining items into a ready-made gift makes it more convenient for shoppers.
For example, a women’s bundle gift could include a cute decor basket, a throw blanket, a candle, a card, and candy.
Appeal to “Anti Valentine’s Day”
Valentine’s Day is not enjoyable for everyone. It can feel quite alienating for those who are single or far from loved ones. Others may just not enjoy the holiday. But that doesn’t mean you can’t market to them on Valentine’s Day.
Instead, include some displays geared toward single people. For example, make a “Galentine’s Day” gift basket or display it with items that are good to give to a friend, or that will help spread the love during a girl’s night, like cards or sweet treats.
In addition to emphasizing non-romantic love, create displays and leverage signage that promotes self-love and self-care. Compile some options for those just interested in staying at home and taking care of themselves. For example, you could display spa items, bath accessories, candles, and more.
Cross Merchandising With Candy
Cross-merchandising is a form of cross-selling that’s exceptionally beneficial for niche products. It can help customers view additional items as units they should purchase together. One example would be displaying a top, pants, shoes, and accessories together as an “outfit” rather than individual pieces spread out throughout the store.
One of the best ways to increase Valentine’s Day sales is with cross-merchandising. Display multiple gift ideas together to streamline shoppers’ experience and increase the average dollar per transaction. Instead of going to one section for a candle, another section for a card, and one more spot for candy, the shopper can find several gift items in one place. Much like the ready-made gift bundles, you can have multiple displays for different gift recipient types.
When it comes to Valentine’s Day cross-merchandising, candy is one of the best items to include. Americans spend around $1.8 billion on candy for this holiday. Candy is a delicious treat that works well for any gift recipient, which is part of the reason why it’s so popular.
Make Valentine’s Day Sweet With Candy Club
Candy Club makes it easy to find aesthetic and delicious Valentine’s Day candy to add to your gift baskets or cross-merchandising displays. We offer several varieties of candy designed explicitly for the holiday of love! They are great additions to any gift and can help drive sales on holiday displays.
When it comes to increasing your Valentine’s Day sales, it’s all about the sweetest gifts for the sweetest people in a shopper’s life. Candy can be cross merchandised with any number of Valentine’s Day gifts, making it a February 14th must-have. Shop for wholesale Valentine’s Day Candy today.
